1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data reproduction apparatus and, more particularly, to a data reproduction apparatus in which multiple types of media such as an optical disc and a memory card can be inserted so that data recorded on each medium can be selectively reproduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data reproduction apparatus that allow multiple media, e.g., a compact disc (CD) or other optical disc, which is inserted into and ejected from the apparatus, and a universal serial bus (USB) memory, a secure digital (SD) card, or other recording medium, which is connected to the apparatus, to be inserted therein are known in the art (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 2008-203742).
The data reproduction apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 2008-203742 has a plurality of Play keys corresponding to the respective media and reproduces data on a medium corresponding to a Play key pressed by a user. This technique allows a user to easily change a medium to be played, but requires the plurality of Play keys corresponding to the respective types of media on the operation portion, thus making it difficult to reduce the size of the operation portion and increasing the cost.
On the other hand, another conventional data reproduction apparatus has a Play key used commonly for all types of media on its operation portion. In this apparatus, a user can select the type of media to be played at the time of setup in advance. Referring to FIG. 3, this data reproduction apparatus is described. This data reproduction apparatus 101 comprises: a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive 104 that allows a DVD 103 to be inserted into a main body 102 of the apparatus; and a SD card slot 106 to which an SD card 105 can be connected. Further, the main body 102 is connected via a network 107 to another data reproduction apparatus 108 (e.g., an HDD recorder). When data on one of the media are reproduced, the reproduced image and audio data are output to a monitor 109 connected to the main body 102 of the apparatus.
A remote control 110 has a Menu key 110a, cursor movement keys 110b, and a Play key 110c. At the time of setup, a user can press the Menu key 110a to display a menu screen 109a on the monitor 109 and can operate the cursor movement keys 110b to select the type of media to be played. In this example, DVDs are selected as media to be played. After that, when a user presses the Play key 110c, the DVD drive 104 is activated so that data on the DVD 103 placed therein are reproduced. In the case where SD cards are selected at the time of setup, data recorded on the SD card 105 are reproduced in response of the press of the Play key 110c. Likewise, in the case where network devices are selected, video data and other data recorded on the hard disc within the HDD recorder 108 are reproduced.
The above described data reproduction apparatus 101 can make it easy to reduce the size of the remote control 110 and reduce the cost of the apparatus. Further, once the type of media to be played is selected at the time of setup, data on the same type of media are always reproduced with one press of the Play key 110c. Therefore, an error in operation can be prevented. However, the data reproduction apparatus 101 may be inconvenient in the following case.
Sometimes, for example, in order to brighten up the atmosphere in the room after returning home, a user may want the apparatus to reproduce some content without regard to the type of media and to promptly output image and audio data through the monitor 109. However, in such a case, unless a medium of the selected type (e.g., a DVD) is placed in the main body 102 of the apparatus, the data reproduction apparatus 101 cannot reproduce any content even when a medium other than media of the selected type (e.g., an SD card) is connected thereto.
In the above case, the user needs to know that the DVD 103 is not placed in the apparatus because no data is reproduced, confirm whether or not another medium is connected to the apparatus, and then display the menu screen 109a so as to change the type of media to be played to the type of the medium (e.g. the SD card 105) currently connected to the main body 102 of the apparatus. The confirmation of another connected medium and the change of the type of media to be played may be cumbersome for a user. Thus, a user may feel that the data reproduction apparatus 101 is inconvenient because reproduction cannot be performed promptly, i.e., image and audio data cannot be output promptly.
Further, even when a user visually confirms a medium connected to the main body 102 of the apparatus, the medium may contain no valid data. In such a case, even after the type of media to be played is changed, image and audio data are not output to the monitor 109. Thus, the user may need to change the type of media to be played again.